Improvement in mail-bag catchers



A. B. WHIPPLE.

Mail- Bag Catches Patented Oct. 19,1875.

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N PErEns. PHOTO LITHOGRAPHE UNITED STATES ALFRED B. WHIPPLE, OF AUBURN, NEW YORK.

IMPROVEMENT IN MAIL-BAG CATCHE RS.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 1 68,86 I dated October 19, 1875 application filed September 27, 1875.

CASE B.

To all whom it may concern Be it known that I, ALFRED B. WHIPPLE, of Auburn, in the county of Cayuga and State of New York. have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Mail-Bag Catchers, to be attached to mail or other railroad cars and I do hereby declare'the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the same, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, making a part or this specification, in which- Figure 1 represents in perspective the catcher as applied to theside, door, or window of a railroad-car. Fig. 2 represents a 3 plan of the catcher as arranged for taking up a mail-bag from its support or hanger. Fig. 3 represents the position of the parts when the catcher has taken up and holds the bag.

My invention consists in a mail-bag catcher composed of a fixed and a spring or movable bar, and a swinging link connecting or controlling the two bars, so as to open or close one bar in relation to the other for receiving and holding the mail-bag, as will be explained. 1

Upon the side of a mail or other car, or of the door or window A thereof, are arranged two keepers, a, b, with rectangular or other shaped openings to receive a square or other shaped bar. 0, so that the latter may not turn in the keepers. To the bar 0 is fastened, by a clippiece, d, or its mechanical substitute, a bar, cl, which can spring or move toward or from the bar a, and in this bar 01 there is a swell or how, 6, over which a link, f, pivoted to the bar 0, as at t, can move to open or close the spring or movable bar 01 in relation to the bar c, the swell or bow e preventing this movement except when a degree of forceis applied to the link. The bars and link thus attached can be changed end for end in the keepers by withdrawing the pin m, so that the apparatus will work whichever end of the car goes foremost. Between the clip (1 and the keeper a rubber or other cushion, a, is interposed to ease ofi' the jar incident to the catching of the bag, while the car is in motion, and to prevent rattling or noise. 7

When the catcher is set for taking up the mail-bag, as in Figs. 1 and 2, the bag passes in between the two bars 0 and d, and when it comes against the link f it forces said link over or past the swell or bow e, and this motion of the link draws the bar d close up to the bar 0, and holds it there while the bag is held in the arc of the bow or swell, and between the two bars.

When not to be immediately used the link is left in the position shown in Fig. 3, which holds the bar d close to the side of the car.

I claim- In a mail-bag catcher and holder, the combination of fixed bar camovable bar 01', and swinging link f, substantially as and for the purpose set forth.

ALFRED B. WHIPPLE. Witnesses:

A. B. STOUGHTON, EDMUND MASSON. 

